Monday 21 July 2014

Language learning more important than ever!

An All-Party Parliamentary Group has urged politicians to promote teaching and learning of modern languages in the UK.The group has been investigating the impact of poor language skills on the UK economy and its standing in the world. Baroness Coussins, chair of the group, reports that "the UK economy is already losing around £50 billion a year in lost contracts because of a lack of language skills in the workforce. And we aren't just talking about high-flyers: in 2011 over 27% of admin and clerical jobs went unfilled because of the languages deficit."
Not enough youngsters are leaving school with the necessary skills: A 2012 European Commission research revealed only 9% of 15-year-olds are competent in their first foreign language in the UK, compared with 42% in 14 other European countries. 
Luckily, at Tomlinscote we still have a policy where all students continue with at least one MFL out of French, German and Spanish up to GCSE, which will increase their options and choices in their later careers enormously. Furthermore, they have options to learn Chinese, Japanese or Latin in extra-curricular courses.
However, there needs to be more language teaching and learning nationwide. Otherwise, according to Baroness Coussins, "our young people will continue to fall behind their European and global peers in education and employability; our export growth will be stunted; our international reputation will suffer and our security, defence and diplomacy needs will be compromised."
Read the full article at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-28269496

Frozen - Let It Go- Sing along in German and French!








Sunday 20 July 2014

Tarte aux pommes!

Some of our Year 12 students worked on a different aspect of French/France. They put into practice their cooking and baking skills and made 'tarte aux pommes' and this very successfully as you can see.




Here is the recipe (in French and in English) if you would like to try. Remember to slice the apples very thinly and add a bit of butter and sugar on the top before putting in the oven. Enjoy.


Tarte aux pommes

Ingrédients :
150g de farine
Une pincée de sel
55 g de beurre
60 – 80 ml d’eau
4 pommes
3 cuillères à soupe de sucre

La pâte
a)      Versez la farine et le sel dans un saladier
b)      Ajoutez le beurre et le mélanger à la farine
c)      Versez l’eau petit à petit et mélangez
d)     En utilisant le rouleau, étalez la pâte, saupoudrez de farine afin que la pâte ne colle pas
e)      Beurrez le moule
f)       Déroulez la pâte dans le moule

Préchauffez le four à  220˚/ 7

Garniture 
a)      Pelez les pommes
b)      Coupez les pommes en quartiers
c)      Disposez les pommes dans le plat
d)     Saupoudrez les pommes de sucre
e)      Ajoutez 4 petits morceaux de beurre


Mettre la tarte au four et la laisser 30-35 minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ingredients :
150g plain flour
Pinch of salt
55 g butter
60 – 80 ml water
4 apples
3 tbsp sugar

The pastry
a)      Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.
b)      Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
c)      Stir in water to bind the pastry.
d)     Roll out the pastry to a round slightly larger than the dish, put flour underneath so it does not stick
e)      Butter dish, spreading a little bit of butter
f)       Roll pastry around the rolling pin and then unroll over the dish.

Preheat oven to 220˚/gas 7

Filling
a)      Peel apples
b)      Slice them in a half moon shapes
c)      Place them on the pastry starting from the outside
d)     Sprinkle sugar on the apple
e)      Put 4 little pieces of butter

Put pie in oven for 30-35 minutes

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Cro - Bye Bye - Song & year 10 German work







Year 10 listened to this song by Cro about a boy and girl seeing one another on a train and falling in love - only they don't dare to talk to one another and have to say good bye to the love of their life.
The students wrote a third part and some even performed it in the lesson:
Have a look at their fantastic creativity!
Which version do you like best?

"Es ist ein unglaublich schlechter Tag.
draußen ist es kalt, sie war sehr schön,
aber ich hatte Angst. Sie setzte sich wieder zu mir.
Mein Kopf war voller Wörter, doch es nichts rausgekommen.
Plötzlich hat sie meine Hand gehalten und sie hat Hallo gesagt.
Ich habe in ihre Augen gestarrt."

Siân, Gaby, Daniel


"Wir sind auf der Brücke,
die Bahn hat angefangen zu schütteln,
die Brücke beginnt zusammenzubrechen.
Ach nein, die Bahn fällt in den Fluß.
Wir ertrinken in Liebe."

Jordan, Will and Peter


Es ist ein unglaublich schöner Tag,
draußen ist es warm, sie ist wirklich, wirklich, wirklich eine Schnecke
Und ich bin auch wirklich eine Schnecke.
Sollen wir uns im Garten treffen oder in einem Haustiergeschäft?
Aber ich bin so langsam, doch es ist beim zweiten Mal dann einfach zu spat
Ich liebe dich, weil sie sehr grün, dick und groß ist.
Aber du müsstest mich lieben, weil ich fantastisch bin."

Amy & Michelle


"Ich halte an der Tür
Und schaue auf den Mann.
Aber er ist unglaublich hässlich!
Ich schieße ihm ins Gesicht"

by Ed, Amber, Flo, Greg, Tia & JJ

"Es ist ein unglaublich schöner Tag,
draußes ist es wieder warm. Ich folge ihr
nach draußen und da bemerkt sie mich.
Sie beobachtet mich dann, mein Herz schlägt.
Einmal, zwei, dann guckt sie zurück.
Plötzlich kommt sie nach vorne und sagt:
Ich liebe dich"

Luxan

Here is a video interpretation of this song: How is the story different from the lyrics?


Monday 14 July 2014

Goethe Institute German Reading Competition - Year 12

The German department are proud to announce that five year 12 students have won second prize in a reading contest by the Goethe Institute. As part of their annual Digital Days competitions, the task involved reading out sports commentaries about the football world cup. Our students convinced with accurate pronunciation and great intonation amongst over 100 participants and won 100 pounds!

Congratulations to Renuka Doll, Hanifah Hashim, Isobel Leigh,  Michael Phillips and Christopher Spain! 



Deutschland - Argentinien (1:0): FINALE WM 2014 auf Berliner Fanmeile un...

14.07.2014 (N) Nürnberg steht Kopf - Deutschland ist Weltmeister

Sunday 13 July 2014

Deutschland ist Weltmeister 2014!!

Nach einem spannenden Unentschieden in der regulären Spielzeit schießt Mario Götze in der 113. Minute das Siegtor. 
Nach 1954, 1974 und 1990 gewinnt Deutschland zum vierten Mal die Fußball-WM!
Well done Germany!

For more fotos and German language match reports go to 






Fotos: getty images, dpa




Saturday 12 July 2014

Der WM-Song für Brasilien: Das dicke, dicke Ding von Mister Santos



So on Sunday it's the final between Germany and Argentina.
All you German learners, keep your fingers crossed for Deutschland!

Here is one of the many songs for the world cup - "let's get the big fat thing and bring the fourth star home"

Wednesday 9 July 2014

German Exchange 29th June to 9th July 2014


Not a dry eye in the house as the German students departed after a very successful visit to Tomlinscote - 31 German students staying in the homes of Tomlinscote students.  There was a packed programme of excursions and days in school including a joint visit to London where Tomlinscote students accompanied their German partners on a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament including the House of Lords and a flight on the London Eye.  They are all looking forward to the return visit to Germany from 4th to 14th October 2014.

German exchange students at Tomlinscote

From the 29th of June until the 9th of July our exchange students from Germany stayed with their English partners in Camberley. The programme included experiencing lessons at Tomlinscote as well as trips to various cities, such as Oxford, Seaford and London.
On Monday, the visitors were welcomed by the mayor of Camberley who put on a special mock council debate for the youngsters. While the meeting stretched their English skills, many were confident enough to join in and contribute their views.





At the weekends, the hosts entertained their guests with trips and activities and everyone got on really well!
Our students can't wait for the return visit in the autumn to explore the Robert-Bosch-Gymnasium in Wendlingen, Stuttgart, Tübingen and Ulm -and spend more time with their new  German friends!

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Monday 7 July 2014

Mandarin Chinese Intensive Courses 16th to 27th June 2014


Visit to Chinese Centre,
Wellington College,
Crowthorne,
Wednesday 18th June 2014






 Chinese Cookery






  Chinese Martial Arts


 
Students from King's International College
 
 

Japanese Intensive Courses 16th to 27th June 2014


Trying on Kimonos
Friday 20th June 2014

 

 Experimenting with Origami

Three students from King's International College




Wednesday 2 July 2014

Exciting French project

Over the course of three separate sessions, Year 9 students from Tomlinscote and Collingwood College are preparing alternative endings/scenes for different films, in French.

This enables them to stretch their imagination and their skills in the language as well as practise and improve their pronunciation and intonation, with the ultimate aim to record their scenes in the filming studio at Tomlinscote.

Thank you to Year 12 Collingwood and Tomlinscote students for their support.

Look at the Year 9 pupils hard at work:

















Watch this space for the upcoming videos...